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Component or firewire capture for greenscreen?
Hi All,
I need to get some digi beta tapes containing chroma key footage via a Sony J30 deck into my FCP system. We have a Mac Pro 2008 with a Blackmagic Intensity Pro capture card, which has HDMI and analogue component inputs. With this setup there is no HDMI or SDI option, only firewire or analogue component.
So my question is: for the best result in keying, should I capture over firewire to DV files or component to ProresHQ files?
Firewire is good because it is digital. But it is 8bit and only 4:2:0 colour resolution. Component on the otherhand is 10bit 4:4:4 ??? so would it be better?
Nils
Macpro 8core 2.8GHz 4GB RAM 1TB RAID
Latest OS latest FCP
Blackmagic Intensity Pro -
4 Replies
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It’s 10bit 4:2:2 and yes it’ll be better. Don’t knock it down to dv and use ProRes or 10bit Uncompressed.
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Hi Nils,
Without hesitation I would go to Components.
Although the signal have to be converted to analog and then re-digitalized you are working with a high quality signal all along your workflow.
Go to DV means to throw away half of your color and in your case that want to make Chroma-key this is critical.
just make a little test and have a look to the edges of the pictures after capturing.
Cheers,
rafael -
Thanks so much for your responses. Unfortunately the Sony J30-SDI deck we got didn’t have component after all… so I have captured as DV and it seems to key ok, for the purpose. I imagine I’ll render the final cut as uncompressed so it doesn’t go through the DV ringer too many times.
I’m using Primatte Keyer Pro in FCP which seems superior to the built in keying, and the chroma footage is very well shot which is making it easier.
Cheers,
Nils
Macpro 8core 2.8GHz 4GB RAM 1TB RAID
Latest OS latest FCP
Blackmagic Intensity Pro -
I would go even Composite better than DV.
The Composite Video Out of a Betacam Digital re-digitized with a good video card in 10b will be always better.
Rafael
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